The Discerning Eye 2014: Mall Galleries

Frequent visitors to the ING Discerning Eye exhibition will know that the selection process used to determine which work is shown is unique. For those new to the show it is worth detailing again how the event works. The artwork selected for display is chosen not by committee as in other open submission competitions but by six individuals, each a noted authority in their field. Two artists, two critics and two collectors form the selection panel.

 

Since the founding of Discerning Eye more than one hundred and thirty five selectors - Royal Academicians, leading critics and noted collectors - have given their unpaid support. They have included HRH Prince Charles - who in 1997 was invited to take part as a collector but who easily might have been described as an artist or critic - Big Brother presenter Davina McCall, chat show host Sir Michael Parkinson and Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Arts, Charles Saumarez Smith CBE. All have contributed time, effort and enthusiasm to help make Discerning Eye the success it has become. I do suggest you take a look at the list of past selectors in this catalogue. It is pretty impressive.

 

My thanks, therefore, to those who have stepped into the breach this year: artists Nicola Green and Emma Stibbon RA; critics Simon Martin, writer, curator, Artistic Director of Pallant House Gallery and Helen Sumpter, Senior Editor at ArtReview; collectors Chris Ingram, entrepreneur, philanthropist, owner of The Ingram Collection of Modern and British Contemporary Art and Dr Giles Brown, scientist, collector and art patron.

 

These hardy souls toiled for hours in a subterranean room, examining, dismissing and, sometimes, accepting work for show. They wrote contributions to this catalogue, oversaw the hanging - not an easy job - of their choices and, for those who could make it, attended the private view.

 

This year our selectors viewed more than 2,000 submissions. They selected work by 273 artists and invited 48 artists of their own choice to exhibit. In all more than 650 pieces are on show, representing the work of 321 artists.

 

My thanks to them, our artists, our exhibition organisers Parker Harris, to the Mall Galleries and, of course, to our sponsors ING Commercial Banking, without whom this show would not be possible.

Welcome to the ING Discerning Eye Exhibition 2014, our twenty-third annual exhibition since the Discerning Eye charity was started twenty-five years ago.

 

Regular visitors will know that in recent years we have awarded Discerning Eye funded purchase prizes in order to acquire works for our own DE Collection. The aim of creating a collection is to make it available to galleries and other public spaces around Britain at minimal cost and to find a wider audience for artists whose work is included.

 

We currently have about twenty works but that number will be increased by the end of November in order to mount our inaugural exhibition which, we are delighted to confirm, will open early in December 2014 in one of Britain's most historic and beautiful buildings.

 

The Temple Church dates back to 1162 with its Round Church, where our exhibition will take place, being the earliest Gothic building in England. Built by the Knights Templar, bankers and diplomatic brokers to successive kings, King John was given protection here during the buildup to Magna Carta.

 

The inaugural DE Collection exhibition will form part of the Temple Church's 800th anniversary of Magna Carta and will be on show to the public until Easter 2015 (exact dates tbc). If you have never visited the church, this offers a perfect opportunity to do so. Until recently, I had only ever seen the inside in famous films like The Da Vinci Code and Harry Potter. Having now visited in person, I can highly recommend it as a hidden gem in the heart of London. I would like to thank art lover and collector Ian Mayes QC for his support in accessing such an important and historic venue for us.

 

Ian has also very kindly offered to give our Friends and Members a guided tour of Temple, including Middle Temple Hall, which has its own rich history from a later period. You can find more information in our latest newsletter.

 

Inspired by Temple Church's anniversary of Magna Carta this year we have given our drawing bursary the theme of Justice. As usual, the winning drawings are on show at this exhibition.

 

Later in this catalogue, we have re-introduced the DE essay. I would like to thank art historian, archivist and Director of Messum's Andrea Gates for this essay and hope you will find time to read it.

 

Finally, I would like to thank our sponsor ING Commercial Banking, our selectors, artists, Parker Harris, and everybody else who supports DE to make this event the success it is.

 

Enjoy the show.